Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is widely seen as one of the most viable solutions for reducing aviation emissions.
However, transforming ambition into large-scale implementation is complex. Scaling SAF production involves technological, engineering, commercial, and regulatory challenges.
SAF projects often stall on the same hurdles: high costs, uncertain offtake, regulatory complexity, technology pathway decisions and the challenge of integrating feedstocks, and technology packages into a coherent, financeable project.
AFRY covers the full SAF value chain – from feedstocks to production, blending, and fuel terminals – combining strategy, technical, and environmental expertise across all technology pathways. We support clients from strategy, project configuration, and regulatory frameworks to lenders’ due diligence, and from feasibility and permitting through to engineering and EPCM execution.
End-to-end delivery across the SAF value chain
Scaling sustainable aviation fuel requires more than proven technology. SAF projects must succeed in commercial, regulatory, technical and sustainability dimensions, often in parallel and under fast‑changing market conditions. By combining strategic advisory, engineering delivery and environmental services, AFRY supports SAF developments from idea to implementation.
From idea to implementation
- 1. Identify the opportunity
- 2. Shape the project
- 3. Front-End Loading Development
- 4. Secure approvals
- 5. Secure investment
- 6. Execute and operate
Develop robust market strategies, evaluate commercial opportunities, and establish a strong foundation for investment decisions.
- Strategy & Market Intelligence
- Go-to-market Strategies
- Strategy Refresh / Independent Opinion
- Value Chain Opportunity Assessment
- Global Market Pricing, Trade Flow & Demand Projections
- Regulatory Framework Assessment
- Incentive Design, Targets & Subsidy Screening
- Commercial & Offtake Strategy
- Offtaker Identification
- PPA Negotiation & Advisory
- RFNBO Compliance
Define the optimal project concept, secure key resources, and mature the project through technical and economic evaluation.
- Site Screening, selection and validation
- CO₂ Sourcing
- Water Sourcing & Discharge Study
- Technical Due Diligence
- Project Optimization
- Project Configuration Optimization
- RAM Analysis
Engineering services to develop projects from initial concept to FEED built on strong engineering fundamentals to reduce risks and minimize project costs.
- FEL 1 / pre-Feasibility / Conceptual design
- FEL2 / Feasibility / Pre-FEED
- FEL3 / Basic Engineering / FEED
Navigate environmental requirements and permitting processes to de-risk project development and secure approvals.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- Land Use Planning
- Permitting (Construction, Environmental & Water)
- Appeals & Compliance Support
- Sustainability and LCA studies
Support investors, lenders, and project developers through due diligence, financing assessments, and transaction processes.
- Commercial, Technical, EHS & ESG Due Diligence
- Vendor Due Diligence
- Buy-side Due Diligence
- Lender's Independent Advisory Services
- Financing & Funding Advisory
Deliver projects efficiently from final investment decision through construction and commissioning. AFRY’s EPCM model keeps projects agile, bankable, and technically robust.
- Owner's Engineer
- EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management)
- Operational optimization
- Integration with existing energy and thermal systems
Key pathways for SAF production
No single SAF production pathway will be sufficient to meet future aviation demand. Scaling sustainable aviation fuel will require a diversified mix of feedstocks, including waste oils and fats (HEFA), ethanol and methanol (Alcohol-to-Jet), lignocellulosic biomass (e.g. gasification), as well as renewable electricity and carbon dioxide (e-SAF).
Each pathway comes with its own technical, commercial, and regulatory complexities, requiring deep expertise, cross disciplinary collaboration, and integrated problem solving across the full value chain.
Designing and delivering integrated SAF projects
e-SAF offers one of the most scalable long-term pathways for aviation decarbonisation. Its success, however, depends on far more than conversion technology.
Project economics are shaped by renewable power availability, hydrogen production costs, CO₂ sourcing, infrastructure access and regulatory compliance.
The strongest projects are those that optimise the entire system rather than individual components.
- Technology and pathway assessment, including Fischer-Tropsch and Methanol-to-Jet routes
- Renewable power, hydrogen and CO₂ sourcing strategies
- Industrial integration and site selection
- Infrastructure and utility planning
- RFNBO compliance and regulatory alignment
- Techno-economic modelling and business case development
- Investment decision support
SAF, produced with HEFA and AtJ technologies is expected to deliver a significant share of near- and medium-term SAF volumes. Success depends on selecting the right pathway for available feedstocks and integrating projects effectively within existing industrial ecosystems.
Feedstock availability, logistics, sustainability requirements and asset integration all have a major impact on project viability.
We help clients identify the most competitive routes and develop projects that work within real-world constraints.
- Feedstock and pathway selection, including HEFA, Fischer-Tropsch and Alcohol-to-Jet
- Refinery and industrial integration studies
- Biomass, waste and residue sourcing strategies
- Site planning, utilities and infrastructure design
- Sustainability and certification readiness
- CAPEX, OPEX and risk assessments
- Investment and project development support
Integrating SAF into existing energy and industrial systems
At AFRY, we support the integration of SAF into existing energy systems, connecting production, distribution, and end use within broader industrial and fuel value chains. Building on decades of experience in power generation, fuels, and complex plant retrofits, we help clients transition existing thermal and industrial assets into flexible, future-ready systems capable of handling new sustainable fuel streams.
Our multidisciplinary teams combine expertise in energy systems, process engineering, fuel handling, emissions management, and infrastructure integration to ensure seamless, safe, and efficient implementation – from production through blending and terminal operations. At the same time, we leverage our strong capabilities in biomass and forest industry value chains to optimize feedstock integration and link SAF production with existing industrial ecosystems where relevant.
By bridging traditional energy systems with biomass-based value chains and emerging SAF technologies, we enable pragmatic, scalable, and cost-efficient pathways toward decarbonized aviation.
Why SAF projects succeed or fail
Technology is only one factor in SAF project success. Long-term viability depends on how commercial, regulatory, infrastructure, and financing considerations are addressed throughout project development.
Successful projects align five interconnected factors from the outset:
- Feedstock
Can long-term, sustainable supply be secured at competitive cost? - Off-take
Can the project secure long-term bankable off-takes with credible partners? - Regulation
Will the project qualify under evolving SAF and emissions regulations? - Economics
Can the project attract financing and demonstrate long-term cost competitiveness? - Execution
Can the project be permitted, engineered and delivered on schedule?
AFRY to provide comprehensive project delivery services for Acelen Renewables’ new biofuel plant in Brazil
The project aims to produce renewable fuels that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared to fossil fuels, making a significant contribution to regional climate goals.
Project: A new top-of-the-line biorefinery in Gothenburg
Project: Enabling sustainable aviation fuels through Power-to-X
